Recorded live at Royal Festival Hall, London, England.
3rd recording of Mass in B minor BWV 232 by O. Klemperer.

Klempererís Bach Mass in B-minor

Kar-Ming Chong

wrote (December 12, 1999):
I bought this disc last Friday evening - Bach - Choruses from Mass in B-minor - Klemperer/Philharmonic Orc & Chorus - Testament and found it to be a really fine performance of the chorus bits. This recording is recorded in 1961 (never completed - only the chorus sections are recorded) and is different from the completed Mass in B-minor which he recorded later with EMI (1964?) - I haven't heard of this one. Can anyone fill me in on this recording?

As always, Klemperer's chorus group (Philharmonia) manage to convey the grandeur and majestic of the piece. Share similar characteristic of Klemperer's recordings in other choral works - Beethoven Missa Solemnis, Bach St Matthew Passion (BWV 244). One gripe though: Klemperer did not record the "Cum Sanctu Spiritus" on this Testament recording. Oh, well....

Ulvi Yurtsever

wrote (December 21, 1999):
[To Kar-Ming Chong] This is probably a good thing, because his EMI Sanctu Spiritus plods along like a brontosaurus on walking sticks...(it's not just the tempo, his chorus sounds like it includes most of the population of London, although it must have been just the listeners of BBC as it's called the "BBC chorus").

But I guess there must be fair amount of good stuff in the recording since I kept it all this time (along with his St. Matthew (BWV 244)).

MBM Agnus Dei Singer

Sw Anandgyan

wrote (May 2, 2005):
I'm listening to the Mass in B minor under the govern of Klemperer.

I would like a more knowledgeable person to confirm who is singing the Agnus Dei solo; is it Agnes Giebel or Dame Janet Baker?